It’s not every day you see an auctioneer holding a 5ft 6in (1.67m) long sperm whale penis. Then again, it’s not every day that you see the sort of lots that are offered in Sworders’ Out of the Ordinary auction.

Despite economic concerns such as Brexit – and the imposition of the Artist’s Resale Right in 2014 – UK sales of modern and contemporary art grew last year at a faster rate than in other selling centres.